Australians bought a record number of Mercedes-Benz G-Class four-wheel-drives in 2021 – despite closing the order books in the second half of the year, as the company tries to clear the backlog of orders.
Sales of the Mercedes-Benz G-Class luxury four-wheel-drive in Australia broke records last year, with a 120 per cent increase compared to the prior 12 months – despite no new orders being taken for most of the second half of the year.
VFACTS industry data reports 594 G-Class SUVs as sold locally in 2021 – a 120 per cent increase over 2020 sales figures, in a market up 14.5 per cent, slotting Mercedes-Benz’s legendary four-wheel-drive into third place in the ‘upper large’ luxury SUV segment.
That’s despite order books closing around the middle of 2021 to try to clear the backlog of orders.
A Mercedes-Benz Australia spokesperson told Drive more than 95 per cent of the 594 vehicles sold last year were longstanding back-orders for the flagship G63 variant, which costs in excess of $300,000 by the time it’s on the road.
While order books for the more affordable G400d diesel variant opened in March 2021 – with deliveries commencing in July – the pause on new orders for all G-Class wagons four months later, meant this model grade only accounted for only a few per cent of the full year’s sales.
Prior to order books closing last year, it was estimated buyers placing a brand-new order would be waiting “in excess of 12 months” for delivery, said a Mercedes-Benz Australia spokesperson.
“[There is] nothing new to share at this stage regarding a reopening of G-Class order books. Our focus continues to be on maintaining supply to fulfil the existing back-orders,” a Mercedes-Benz Australia spokesperson told Drive.
It’s the same dilemma as in the US. Order books there closed on 17 January 2022, with rumours claiming wait times in some markets stretch to the fourth quarter of 2024 – nearly three years.
Mercedes-Benz G-Class sales have enjoyed a meteoric rise since the iconic model returned to Australian showrooms in March 2011 – after a brief but unsuccessful stint in the 1980s – with a ten-fold increase in sales compared to the 52 recorded in the relaunched G’s first full year, 2012.
Fuelling much of the Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen’s growth has been the latest-generation model, launched in late 2018 – which has seen sales increase from 131 in 2018, to 300 in 2019 – and 594 vehicles reported as sold in 2021.
The 2021 sales result sees the Mercedes-Benz G-Class slot into third place in the ‘Upper Large SUV over $100,000’ sales segment, behind the BMW X7 (791), and the Mercedes-Benz GLS (1110, up 36.5 per cent versus 2020 results).
The record sales result for the Mercedes-Benz G-Class comes despite the price of the flagship G63 increasing by $51,300 since the current model went on sale – to $299,000 plus on-road costs – an increase of nearly 21 per cent in three years, compared to 5.5 per cent currency inflation over the same period.
Much of that increase can be attributed to a significant $30,665 price rise coinciding with the G400d’s announcement in March 2021, followed by a $9100 increase in June.
A Mercedes-Benz Australia spokesperson told Drive: “Although I’m unable to give specific details about how vehicle pricing is determined, I can confirm that due to the level of demand globally it has been necessary to increase the vehicle price of the Mercedes-AMG G 63 to ensure its ongoing availability in the Australian market.”
The Mercedes-AMG G63 is now understood to be Mercedes-Benz Australia’s most expensive SUV, excluding the Maybach-badged GLS600 super-luxury SUV.
The post VFACTS: Mercedes-Benz G-Class breaks sales record, despite closed order books appeared first on Drive.